Molding machine

ABSTRACT

A molding machine has a mold material supply device, a die setting device, a separating device and a deburring device. The supply device includes a mold material feeding device, an extruding device for receiving a mold material from the mold material feeding device and extruding the mold material so as to form an extruded mold material, a cutting device for cutting the extruded mold material, and a transfer device for receiving the extruded mold material from the cutting device and transferring the same. The die setting device includes a distribution plate, a first mold die, a second mold die, a third mold die, four shafts, a first mold guide fixed to one of the shafts for receiving and supporting the distribution plate, a second mold guide fixed to another shaft for receiving and supporting the first mold die, a third mold guide fixed to another shaft for receiving and supporting the second mold die, a fourth mold guide for receiving and supporting the third mold die, and means for rotating and vertically moving the four shafts together with the respective mold dies and the respective mold guides and the distribution plate, wherein the distribution plate, the first mold die, the second mold die and the third mold die are positioned in order. The separating device includes a nipping device having a plurality of fixed claws and movable claws in combination for nipping the molding products remaining in the second mold die when the fixed and movable claws are closed and releasing the molded products when the fixed and movable claws are opened.

This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/297,530, filed Sep. 26,1994, which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/111,784, filedAug. 26, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,157, which is a divisional ofapplication Ser. No. 07/875,469, filed Apr. 29, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No.5,273,418.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a molding machine for producingproducts of a rubber-like resilient material, particularly gaskets orpackings for automotive vehicles.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,787 discloses a molding machine for producingproducts of a rubber-like resilient material, particularly oil seals, inwhich a first mold part is stationarily supported in axial spacedrelation to a main base. A base between the main base and the first moldpart is axially movable toward and away from the first mold part andsupports a second complementary mold part. A holder between and axiallyspaced from the first and second mold parts is mounted for limited axialmovement and rotary movement in a plane parallel to the first and secondmold parts, with the holder carrying two diametrically opposite furthermold parts spaced apart an equal distance from the axis of the rotarymovement. One of the further mold parts is in substantially registrywith the first and second mold parts so that movement of the baserelative to the holder brings the second mold part into operativerelation to the one further mold part and continued movement of themovable base moves the holder toward the first mold part until the firstmold part, one further mold part and second mold part are assembled toprovide a molding space therein for receiving the molding material.Means are provided for introducing a reinforcing ring into the otherfurther mold part of the holder prior to its movement to the positionoccupied by the one further mold part during molding and to remove thecompleted article from the other further mold part when it occupies theposition of the other further mold part during molding. In addition,means are provided for removing the molding flash after the mold openingand for transporting the flash to discharge means. Also, means areemployed to retain the two further mold parts as diametrically oppositepoints in the holder as well as to prevent rotation and tilting of themold parts relative to the holder.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a molding machineequipped with a separating means which can simultaneously separate manymolded products or articles from a mold die.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a moldingmachine equipped with a deburring means which can simultaneouslyseparate spool runners or burs from a mold die or a distribution plate.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a moldingmachine including a die setting means which is compact and requires onlya small space.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a moldingmachine which can operate a low production costs with a good efficiency.

According to the present invention, a molding machine includes a moldmaterial supply means, a die setting means, and a separating means.

The mold material supply means has a mold material feeding means, anextruding means for receiving a mold material from the mold materialfeeding means and extruding the mold material so as to form an extrudedmold material, a cutting means for cutting the extruded mold material,and a transfer means for receiving the extruded mold material from thecutting means and transferring the same.

The die setting means includes a distribution plate, a first mold die, asecond mold die, a third mold die, four shafts, a first mold guide fixedto one of the shafts for receiving and supporting the first mold die, asecond mold guide fixed to another shaft for receiving and supportingthe second mold die, a third mold guide fixed to another shaft forreceiving and supporting the third mold die, a fourth mold guide forreceiving and supporting the distribution plate, and means for rotatingand vertically moving the four shafts together with the respective molddies and the respective mold guides and the distribution plate. Thedistribution plate, the first mold die, the second mold die and thethird mold die are positioned in order.

The separating means includes a nipping means having a plurality offixed claws and movable claws in combination for nipping the moldedproducts remaining in the second mold die when the fixed and movableclaws are closed and releasing the molded products when the fixed andmovable claws are opened.

The molding machine is preferably equipped with a deburring meansincluding a nipping means having a plurality of fixed claws and movableclaws in combination for nipping burs or spool runners remaining in thefirst mold die and/or the distribution plate when the fixed and movableclaws are closed and releasing the molded products when the fixed andmovable claws are opened.

It is preferable that the extrusion means of the mold material supplymeans comprises a cylindrical pot for receiving the mold material, apress cylinder means placed over the pot, and a feeding means forfeeding the mold material into the pot. The press cylinder means isequipped with a ram for pressing the mold material in the pot so as toextrude the mold material. The pot has a lower open end closed by acover having a through-hole for the injection or extrusion purpose. Thefeeding means of the mold material supply means is arranged in positionbetween the ram and the pot. The feed means includes a cylindricalportion and a locating cylinder means for shifting the cylindricalportion in position between the pot and the ram when the mold materialis to be fed into the pot.

It is also preferable that the cutting means of the mold material supplymeans comprises a transportation means including a cutting blade forcutting the extruded mold material so as to have a predetermined length,a plurality of guide rails having groove means, a cylinder means and forshifting the transportation means along the groove means of the guiderails.

In a preferred mode of the present invention, the groove means has twostraight portions and an inclined intermediate portion disposed betweenthe two straight portions so that the transportation means can partlyrotate at the inclined intermediate portion whereby the transportationmeans can change from an inclined condition in which the blade of thetransportation means cuts the extruded mold material to a horizontallymaintained condition.

The transfer means of the mold material supply means preferablycomprises a suction member for receiving the extruded and cut moldmaterial from the transportation means of the cutting means and holdingthe mold material due to its sucking force, and means for moving thesuction member between the cutting means and the die setting means sothat the mold material can be transferred from the transportation meansto the distribution plate of the die setting means.

It is also preferable that the die setting means further includes a gearmechanism connected to the four shafts for rotating simultaneously thefour shafts, means for rotating the four shafts around their axes, meansfor vertically shifting or actuating the four shafts, an upper plate, alower plate between which the distribution plate and the mold dies areplaced, and means for tightening the distribution plate and the molddies in an assembled condition. This tightening means includes a ram forpressing the distribution plate and the mold dies between the upper andlower plates when they are assembled.

In the die setting means, each of the mold dies has a plurality ofcavities and the distribution plate has a plurality of through-holes insuch a way that the through-holes of the distribution plate areconnected to the cavities of the mold dies when they are assembled forthe molding purpose.

Preferably, the nipping means of the separating means includes anactuating cylinder means of removing the movable claws relative to thefixed claws between their closed or nipping position and their open orreleasing position. The separating means further includes means forpushing a projection against the second mold die so that the moldedproducts can be separated from the second mold die.

It is preferable that the deburring means includes an actuating cylindermeans for moving the movable claws relative to the fixed claws betweentheir closed or nipping position and their open or releasing position.The deburring means may include a first deburring apparatus placed belowthe distribution plate and a second deburring apparatus placed above thefirst mold die.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a molding machineaccording to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a old material feeding apparatus of themolding machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the mold material feeding apparatus shown inFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an explanation view showing how to cut and transfer anextruded mold material in a cutting apparatus of the molding machine ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a schematic explanation view showing a die setting apparatusof the molding machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view showing an upper portion of the die settingapparatus shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a part of the upper portion of the diesetting apparatus shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view showing a lower portion of the die settingapparatus shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a side view showing the lower portion of the die settingapparatus;

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a mold guide of the die settingapparatus;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing a mold guide of the die settingapparatus;

FIG. 12 is an explanation view showing how to operate four mold guidesin the die setting apparatus;

FIG. 13 is a schematic front view showing a condition in which the fourmold guides are assembled between a lower plate and an upper plate inthe die setting apparatus;

FIG. 14 is an explanation view showing gears connected to the four moldguides by way of shafts in the die setting apparatus;

FIG. 15 is a sectional view showing a distribution plate and three molddies in an assembled condition with one molded product or article inwhich the other products are omitted for the purpose of simplifying thefigure;

FIG. 16 is a sectional view schematically showing a separating apparatusfor separating molded products from a mold die;

FIG. 17 is a side view showing the separating apparatus of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged sectional view showing an essential portion ofthe separating apparatus shown in FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is an explanation view showing the relationship between a fixedclaw and a movable claw of the separating apparatus and the moldedproduct remaining in the mold die;

FIG. 20 is a schematic view generally showing a deburring apparatus andits related members;

FIG. 21 is a front view showing a nipping means of a further deburringapparatus;

FIG. 22 is a side view showing the nipping means of FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is an explanation view showing the relationship between thenipping means of the deburring apparatus shown in FIG. 20 and burs ofspool runners remaining in a distribution plate; and

FIG. 24 is a bottom view showing the relationship between thedistribution plate of the die setting apparatus and the nipping means ofthe deburring apparatus.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 schematically shows a molding machine 60 including a moldmaterial supply means 1, a die setting means or apparatus 30, aseparating means or apparatus 51 and two deburring means or apparatus61. The mold material supply means 1 is designed to supply moldmaterials 10 (FIG. 2) into the die setting means 30. The die settingmeans 30 sets plural dies and a distribution plate in the moldingmachine 60. The separating means 51 simultaneously separates moldedarticles or products from the dies. The deburring means 61simultaneously separate or remove burs or spool runners from thedistribution plate.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the mold material supply means 1 includes anextrusion means 2, a cutting means 13 and a transfer means 23. The moldmaterial 10 is extruded by the extrusion means 2 and then cut by thecutting means 13. After that, the extruded material is supplied into thedie setting means 30 by means of the transfer means 23.

The extrusion means 2 includes a cylindrical pot 3 for receiving themold material 10 or one lot of mold materials 10 therein, a presscylinder means 5 placed over the pot, and a feeding means 6 for feedingthe mold material or materials 10 into the pot 3. The press cylindermeans 5 is equipped with a ram 4 which can move into the pot 3 forpressing the mold material 10 within the pot.

A lower end opening of the pot 3 is enclosed by a cover 7 having athrough-hole 8 for the injection purpose. A heater 9 is arranged aroundthe pot 3 for heating the mold material 10 in the pot 3. The moldmaterial 10 is extruded through the hole 8 so as to flow down under thebottom of the pot 3 or the cover 7 so as to form an extruded moldmaterial 10 when it is pressed by the ram 4 in the pot 3.

The feeding means 6 is arranged in position between the ram 4 and thepot 3. The feeding means 6 includes a cylindrical portion 11 and alocating cylinder means 12 for shifting or locating the cylindricalportion 11 in position between the pot 3 and the ram 4 whenever one lotof the mold materials 10 is just to be supplied into the pot 3.

The cutting means 13 includes a transportation member 15, a plurality ofguide rails 16, and a shifting cylinder means 17. The transportationmember 15 includes a cutting blade 14 for cutting the formed moldmaterial or extruded body 10 so as to have a predetermined shape. Theshifting cylinder means 17 shifts or locates the transportation member15 along the guide rails 16 in the direction at a right angle to adirection of extruding the mold material 10. These guide rails 16constitute a pair of grooves 20 each having an upper straight portion, alower straight portion and a slightly inclined intermediate portionpositioned between the upper and lower straight portions as best shownin FIG. 2. A plurality of bearings 19 are joined via shafts 18 to thetransportation member 15 and set in such a manner that they canrotatably move in the grooves 20. The transportation member 15 is joinedby way of a joint member 21 to the shifting means 17. Thus, when theshifting means 17 is actuated, the cutting means 15 moves along thegrooves 20 of the guide rails 16 through the shafts 18 and the bearings19. At that time, the transportation member 15 partly rotates around oneof the shafts 18 at the inclined area of the grooves 20. As a result, asshown in FIG. 2, the transportation member 15 is inclined at a point Aso as to have an inclined angle 45° to its moving direction or ahorizontal direction while it is maintained in parallel to its movingdirection or a horizontal direction at a point B. In other words, thetransportation member 15 is positioned in an inclined condition at thepoint A while it is positioned in a horizontally maintained condition atthe point B. When the transportation member 15 moves in its inclinedcondition, it cuts the extruded body 10 so that the body 10 moves fromthe extrusion means 2 into the transportation member 15. The formed body10 and the transportation member 15 together move along the grooves 20toward the point B and then partly rotate at the inclined area of thegrooves 20. At the point B, the transportation member 15 and the formedbody 10 together are maintained in a horizontal direction.

The transfer means 23 includes a suction member 24, a horizontallyshifting cylinder means 25 and a vertically shifting means 26. Thesuction member 24 is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) so as tohold the formed body 10 by its sucking force when the vacuum pump isactuated after the formed body is cut by the blade of the cutting means13. The horizontally shifting cylinder means 25 shifts the suctionmember 24 in a horizontal direction. The vertically shifting cylindermeans 26 shifts the suction member 24 in a vertical direction. Theformed body 10 is transferred from the transportation member 15 to adistribution plate 44 by means of the horizontally shifting cylindermeans 25 and the vertically shifting cylinder means 26 of the transfermeans 23 after it is lifted by the suction means 24 due to its suckingforce.

Referring to FIGS. 5 to 14, the die setting means 30 includes adistribution plate 44, three dies 45 to 47 and a control means forcontrolling the positions and movement of the distribution plate 44 andthe three dies 45 to 47. The distribution plate 44 and the three dies 45to 47 are placed between an upper plate 31 and a lower plate 32 in thedie setting means 30. Four shafts 34 are vertically supported by pluralthrust bearings 33 in parallel to each other as best shown in FIG. 6 insuch a way that the shafts 34 can rotate around their axes and slide ina vertical direction. Four mold guides 35, 36, 37, 38 are fixed to thefour shafts 34, respectively. A gear 39 is fixed to a lower end portionof each of the four shafts 34. As shown in FIG. 14, the four gears 39are connected to each other directly or through two gears 40. One of thefour shafts 34 is joined via a joint member 41 such as a coupling to arotation actuation means 42 such as a motor. Also, the four shafts 34are connected to four vertically shifting or actuating means 100,respectively, so that the shafts 34 can move up and down in a verticaldirection simultaneously or independently or in any other manner. Thus,the four shafts 34 can rotate and vertically move together with the moldguides 35 to 38, and mold dies 45 to 47 and the distribution plate 44.

For example, the distribution plate 44 is set in the mold guide 35, andthe first mold die 45 is set in the mold guide 36, and the second molddie 46 is set in the mold guide 37, and the third mold die 47 is set inthe mold guide 38.

At first, all of the mold guides 35 to 38 are separately positioned inboth vertical and horizontal directions as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 12.In other words, the distribution plate 44 and the three mold dies 45 to47 together with the mold guides 35 to 38 are completely disassembled inboth horizontal and vertical directions. Next, the four shafts 34 rotateabout their axes so that the mold guides 35 to 38 are assembled only ina vertical direction. After that, the four shafts 34 vertically movetoward their predetermined levels so that the mold guides 35 to 38 arecompletely assembled in a horizontal direction in addition to thevertical direction. Therefore, the distribution plate 44 and the threemold dies 45 to 47 together with the mold guides 35 to 38 are lappedover one another as shown in FIG. 13. In this closed condition, thedistribution plate 44 and the mold dies 45, 46, 47 are lapped as shownin FIG. 15 but without molded products. In addition, it is preferablethat the mold guides 35 to 38, the distribution plate 44 and the molddies 45, 46, 47 are pressed by the ram 43 between the upper plate 31 andthe ram 43 so that the mold dies can be perfectly tightened. No gapsremain among the mold guides 35 to 38, the distribution plate 44 and themold dies 45, 46, 47.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show a preferred shape of the mold guides 35 to 38. Eachof the mold guides 35 to 38 has a small-diameter portion 35a to 38afixed to the shafts 34 and a large-diameter portion 35b to 38b forsupporting the mold dies 45 to 47 and the distribution plate 44. Forexample, the first mold guide 35 has a stepped large-diameter openingfor receiving and supporting the distribution plate 44 therein. Thesecond mold guide 36 has a stepped large-diameter opening for receivingand supporting the third mold die 45 therein. The third mold guide 37has a stepped large-diameter opening for receiving and supporting thefirst mold die 46 therein. The fourth mold guide 38 has a steppedlarge-diameter opening for receiving and supporting the second mold die46 therein. It is easy to attach the distribution plate 44 and the molddies 45 to 47 into the openings of the mold guides 35 to 38,respectively.

FIG. 15 shows typically one article or product 70 molded in each of themold dies 45 to 47 for the purpose of simplifying the figures althoughmany products are molded. Many cavities are formed in each of the molddies 45 to 47 in the corresponding positions. Those cavities areconnected via many through-holes formed in the distribution plate 44.The formed body 10 is heated in the distribution plate 44 so that it canbe easily flown into the cavities of the mold dies by way of thethrough-holes of the distribution plate 44 when they are completelyassembled. A bur or spool runner 80 is formed in each through-hole ofthe distribution plate 44. Thus, many spool runners 80 remain at theunderside of the distribution plate 44 as shown in FIG. 23. Some spoolrunners 80 remain in the first mold die 45 in such a manner that a topportion of each spool runner 80 slightly protrude from the top surfaceof the first mold die 45.

One example of the molded product 70 is a rubber gasket or packing for aconnector in automotive vehicles although the present invention is notlimited to it.

Referring to FIGS. 16 to 19, the separating means 51 is placed above thedie setting means 30 and includes a nipping means 55 and a verticallyshifting means (not shown) for shifting the nipping means 55 toward thesecond mold die 46 when the second mold die 46 is outwardly positionedin the open or disassembled condition of FIG. 12. The nipping means 55includes a plurality of fixed claws 52 each having an L-shape in crosssection, a plurality of movable claws 53 each having a reversed L-shapein cross section, and an actuating cylinder means 54 for moving themovable claws 53 relative to the fixed claws 52.

As shown in FIG. 16, the actuating cylinder means 54 includes a cylinder54a, a piston 54b reciprocating in the cylinder 54a, a compressionspring 54c disposed between the piston 54b and an end wall of thecylinder 54a for biasing the piston 54b toward the other end wall of thecylinder 54a, a piston rod 54d fixed at one end thereof to the piston54b, and an oil passage 54e one end of which is joined to the other endwall of the cylinder 54a and the other end of which is connected to anoil source (not shown). The other end of the piston rod 54d is connectedvia a connecting member 54f to the movable claws 53 so that the pistonrod 54d can move together with the movable claws 53 by introducing anoil into a space between the piston 54b and the end wall of the cylinder54a by way of the oil passage 54e.

Each of the movable claws 53 is arranged between the two adjacent fixedclaws 52 so that one fixed claw 52 and one movable claw 53 are combinedas a nipper as best shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. When the oil is introducedinto the cylinder 54a, the movable claws 53 and the fixed claws 52 areopened as shown in FIG. 18 against the biasing force of the spring 54c.When the oil is discharged from the cylinder 54a, the movable claws 53and the fixed claws 52 are closed as shown in FIG. 19 due to the biasingforce of the spring 54c so as to nip the molded products 70.

As shown in FIG. 17, the separating means 51 further includes pluralliquid actuation type pushing means 56. After the nipping means 55 nipsthe molded products 70 in the mold dies 45 to 47, when oil is introducedinto a cylinder 56b, a rod-shaped projection 56a moves downwardly andthen pushes the second mold die 46 so that the molded products 70 aresimultaneously pulled upwardly and then removed from the mold dies 45 to47 by means of the fixed movable claws 52, 53.

Referring to FIGS. 20 to 24, the first deburring means 61 is placedbelow the distribution plate 44 of the die setting means 30. The seconddeburring means 61 is placed above the first mold die 45 asschematically shown in FIG. 1.

The first deburring means 61 will be explained in detail as the seconddeburring means 61 is substantially the same to the first deburringmeans except for the reverse arrangement directions thereof.

The first deburring means 61 is equipped with a nipping means 65including a plurality of fixed claws 62 having an L-shape in crosssection, a plurality of movable claws 63 having a reversed L-shape incross section, and an actuating cylinder means 64 for moving the movableclaws 63 relative to the fixed claws 62. The fixed and movable claws 62,63 extend upwardly. The actuating cylinder means 64 includes a cylinder,a piston reciprocating in the cylinder, a compression spring disposedbetween the piston and an end wall of the cylinder for biasing thepiston toward the other end wall of the cylinder, a piston rod 64a fixedat one end thereof to the piston, and an oil passage one end of which isjoined to the other end wall of the cylinder and the other end of whichis connected to an oil source. The other end of the piston rod 64a isconnected via a connecting member 64b to the movable claws 63 so thatthe piston rod 64a can move together with the movable claws 63 byintroducing an oil into a space between the piston and the end wall ofthe cylinder by way of the oil passage.

The nipping means 65 is supported by a support rod 66a which is joinedto a piston rod 66b of a vertically shifting cylinder means 66. When theshifting cylinder means 66 is actuated, the nipping means 65 moves upand down.

FIG. 21 shows the second deburring means 61 which is equipped with anipping means 65 including a plurality of fixed claws 62 having anL-shape in cross section, a plurality of movable claws 63 having areversed L-shape in cross section, and an actuating cylinder means 64for actuating the movable claws 63 relative to the fixed claws 62. Thefixed and movable claws 62, 63 of the second nipping means extenddownwardly as shown in FIG. 21. The cylinder means 64 of the secondnipping means 61 has substantially the same mechanism as that of thecylinder means 64 of the first nipping means 61.

OPERATION

In operation, at first, one lot of mold materials 10 is fed into the pot3 by means of the feeding means 6. If an upper surface of the moldmaterials 10 comes down to a predetermined level within the pot 3, it isdetected by a sensor (not shown), and then the feeding means 6 isautomatically actuated so that they cylindrical portion 11 containingthe mold materials 10 moves horizontally in the direction of the arrowin FIG. 2. When it comes over the pot 3, the mold materials 10 are fedinto the pot 3 in the vertical direction of the arrow. After that, thecylindrical portion 11 moves back to its original waiting position.

The mold material 10 in the pot 3 is heated by the heater 9. Thecylinder means 5 actuates the ram 4 to move down until the ram 4 isinserted into the pot 3. As a result, the mold material 10 is extrudedthrough the hole 8 of the pot 3 so as to form a formed body 10 having apredetermined shape.

When the shifting means 17 is actuated, the transportation member 15moves from the point A to the point B in FIG. 2 along the grooves 20 ofthe guide rails 16 in the above-stated special manner. While thetransportation member 15 moves in an inclined condition, it cuts theformed body 10 at the underside of the cover 7 or the bottom of the pot3 so as to have a predetermined short length so that the formed body 10is supported by a top flat receiving portion of the transportationmember 15. Next, the transportation member 15 partly rotates around theshaft 18 so as to be held in a horizontal direction and comes to thepoint B. In this condition, the blade 14 faces upwardly.

If the transportation member 15 has two parallel cutting blades 14 asboth end edges thereof, then the formed body 10 is positioned betweenthe two blades 14.

When the vertically shifting means 26 and the horizontally shiftingmeans 25 are actuated in the transfer means 23, the suction member 24moves down and then contacts the formed body 10 on the flat receivingportion of the transportation member 15 in a horizontally maintainedcondition so as to hold it due to its vacuum force. After that, thesuction member 24 and the formed body 10 together are transferred byboth the cylinder means 25, 26 of the transfer means 23 and thensupplied into the distribution plate 44 of the die setting means 30 asbest shown in FIG. 4. After the sucking force disappears, the suctionmember 24 moves back to its original position.

At that time, the die setting means 30 is maintained in a disassembledor open condition as shown in FIGS. 7 and 12. The mold guides 35, 36,37, 38 support the distribution plate 44, the third mold die 45, thefirst mold die 46 and the second mold die 47 therein, respectively.

When the actuation source 42 starts, the four shafts 34 rotate in thedirections of the arrows in FIG. 2 until the mold guides 35 to 38 andthe mold dies are positioned exactly over one another as shown in FIG. 6and as shown by dotted lines in FIG. 12. The positioning of thosemembers can be controlled by stop pins or any conventional electricalmeans. After that, when the actuator source 100 starts, the four shafts34 move in a vertical direction until the mold guides 35 to 38, thedistribution plate 44 and the mold dies 45 to 47 contact each other.Thus, they are assembled as shown in FIG. 13. In addition, the ram 43moves up so that they are pressed between the ram 43 and the upper plate31 in order to tighten them. Thus, the molding machine is ready forinjection.

On the other hand, an upper heater 48 attached to the upper plate 31 anda lower heater 49 attached to the lower plate 32 start to heat theformed body 10 in the distribution plate 44. The formed body 10 is curedand molded as shown in FIG. 15 so as to produce many rubber products 70each having a bur or spool runner 80.

When the molding is complete, the ram 43 moves down while the actuationsource 100 again starts so that the four shafts 34 move in the oppositevertical directions. The mold guides 35 to 38, the distribution plate 44and the mold dies 45 to 47 depart from each other, assisted by aplurality of spring means 50. After that, the four shafts 34 rotateabout their axes so that the mold guides 35 to 38, the distributionplate 44 and the mold dies 45 to 47 move outwardly so as to be open.

In such an open condition, many products 70 remain in the cavities ofthe second mold die 46 in such a way that a top portion of each product70 slightly protrudes upwardly from the top surface of the second molddie 46 as shown in FIGS. 15 and 19. Many spool runners or burs 80 remainin the cavities of the distribution plate 44 as shown in FIGS. 15 and 23in such a way that a lower portion of each spool runner 80 protrudesdownwardly from the bottom surface of the distribution plate 44. Somespool runner 80 remain in the first old die 45 in such a manner that ato portion of each spool runners 80 slightly protrudes from the topsurface of the first mold die 45.

The nipping means 55 of the separating means 51 moves down until the topprotruding portions of the rubber products 70 are inserted into the gapsformed between the fixed and movable claws 52, 53 as shown in FIGS. 18and 19. After that, when the cylinder means 54 is actuated, the nippingmeans 55 nips the rubber products 70 due to the force of the spring.Next, the cylinder means 56 is actuated so as to push the rods 56aagainst the second mold die 46 so that all of the products 70 can besimultaneously separated from the second mold die 46. Such separatedproducts 70 are further transferred to a predetermined place.

On the other hand, the spool runners 80 remaining in the distributionplate 44 can be removed by the first deburring means 61. As shown inFIG. 20, the nipping means 65 moves up toward the underside of thedistribution plate 44 until the bottom or lower portion of each spoolrunner 80 is inserted into a gap formed between the fixed claw 62 andthe movable claw 63. When the cylinder means 64 is actuated, a pair ofclaws 62, 63 nip the lower portion of the spool runner 80. After that,the cylinder means 66 is actuated so that the nipping means 65 movesdown so as to separate the spool runners 80 from the distribution plate44.

The spool runners or burs 80 remaining in the first mold die 45 can beremoved by the second deburring means 61 as shown in FIG. 21. Thenipping means 65 of the second deburring means 61 moves down toward theupper surface of the first mold die 45 until the top portion of eachspool runner 80 is inserted into a gap formed between the fixed claw 62and the movable claw 63. When the cylinder means 64 is actuated, thefixed and movable claws nip the top portion of the spool runners 80.They can be removed like in the nipping means 55 of FIG. 17.

The spool runners or burs 80 which have been removed can be sucked intoa suction means 101 (FIG. 20) connected to a vacuum source (not shown)so that they can be easily transported to a desired place.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a molding machine for producing products of aresilient material, a mold material supply apparatuscomprising:extruding means including a pot having a through-hole forextruding a mold material through the through-hole so as to form anextruded mold material, the pot containing the mold material therein;cutting means including a transportation means with a blade for cuttingthe extruded mold material by means of the blade and transporting theextruded mold material, said cutting means including a plurality ofguide rails having groove means, and cylinder means for shifting thetransportation means along the groove means of the guide rails, saidgroove means having two straight portions and an inclined intermediateportion disposed between the two straight portions so that thetransportation means can partly rotate at the inclined intermediateportion so that the transportation means can change form an inclinedcondition in which the blade of the transportation means cuts theextruded mold material to a horizontally maintained condition; andtransferring means for receiving the extruded an cut mold material fromthe transportation means of the cutting means and transferring it to amolding place within the molding machine.
 2. A mold material supplyapparatus of claim 1, wherein the extruding means comprises:a presscylinder means placed over the pot, and feeding means for feeding themold material into the pot.
 3. A mold material supply apparatus of claim2 wherein the press cylinder means is equipped with a ram for pressingthe mold material in the pot so as to extrude the mold material.
 4. Amold material supply apparatus of claim 2 wherein the pot has a loweropen end closed by a cover which has the through-hole.
 5. A moldmaterial supply apparatus of claim 2 wherein the feeding means isarranged in position between a ram and the pot, and wherein the feedingmeans includes a cylindrical portion and a cylinder means for shiftingthe cylindrical portion in position between the pot and the ram when themold material is to be fed into the pot.
 6. A mold material supplyapparatus of claim 1, wherein the transferring means comprises:a suctionmember for receiving the extruded and cut mold material from thetransportation means of the cutting means and holding the mold materialdue to its sucking force; and means for moving the suction memberbetween the cutting means and a die setting means so that the moldmaterial can be transferred from the transportation means to adistribution plate of the die setting means.